Assessing Accessibility of Online Healthcare Networks in Southeast Georgia
Abstract
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all public businesses must accommodate people with disabilities. A shift towards online operations makes it essential to ensure online spaces are as accessible as physical spaces. Websites, especially those providing essential health information, must consider individuals with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies. This research investigates the accessibility of healthcare websites in Southeast Georgia.
The American Hospital Directory was referenced to build a database of hospitals in Southeast Georgia. State Office of Rural Health data was utilized to list Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Department of Public Health (DPH) offices serving this region. 30 websites were identified across these categories. Website homepages were analyzed for accessibility, using the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE). The type and number of errors were obtained and analyzed for descriptive statistics.
Each website had 73.8 (SD=60.3) average errors. Stratified by category, 19 hospitals (83.6±69.5), 8 FQHCs (64.1±37.4), and 3 DPHs (34.3±11.6). The most common error was “Low Contrast Errors”.
This study shows that many Southeast Georgia healthcare websites do not meet accessibility standards. The majority of errors were “low contrast errors”, in line with results from the WebAIM Million Project, with each analyzed website averaging 14 contrast errors. Low contrast is a barrier to people with visual impairments and is an easily rectifiable error.
DPHs followed by FQHCs had the fewest errors. These systems receive public funding so websites were likely created considering ADA compliance. Hospitals had the highest number of errors, concerning because rural hospitals provide healthcare to otherwise isolated communities and are a cornerstone of healthcare access in areas with primary care provider shortages. The small sample size warrants further investigation towards the role of online inaccessibility in perpetuating inequities across the state of Georgia.
Keywords
Access to Health Information, Digital Inclusion, Health Disparities, Rural Health Services, Disabilities, Public Health, Public Policy
Assessing Accessibility of Online Healthcare Networks in Southeast Georgia
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all public businesses must accommodate people with disabilities. A shift towards online operations makes it essential to ensure online spaces are as accessible as physical spaces. Websites, especially those providing essential health information, must consider individuals with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies. This research investigates the accessibility of healthcare websites in Southeast Georgia.
The American Hospital Directory was referenced to build a database of hospitals in Southeast Georgia. State Office of Rural Health data was utilized to list Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Department of Public Health (DPH) offices serving this region. 30 websites were identified across these categories. Website homepages were analyzed for accessibility, using the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE). The type and number of errors were obtained and analyzed for descriptive statistics.
Each website had 73.8 (SD=60.3) average errors. Stratified by category, 19 hospitals (83.6±69.5), 8 FQHCs (64.1±37.4), and 3 DPHs (34.3±11.6). The most common error was “Low Contrast Errors”.
This study shows that many Southeast Georgia healthcare websites do not meet accessibility standards. The majority of errors were “low contrast errors”, in line with results from the WebAIM Million Project, with each analyzed website averaging 14 contrast errors. Low contrast is a barrier to people with visual impairments and is an easily rectifiable error.
DPHs followed by FQHCs had the fewest errors. These systems receive public funding so websites were likely created considering ADA compliance. Hospitals had the highest number of errors, concerning because rural hospitals provide healthcare to otherwise isolated communities and are a cornerstone of healthcare access in areas with primary care provider shortages. The small sample size warrants further investigation towards the role of online inaccessibility in perpetuating inequities across the state of Georgia.
